Rotation "Set"

[Linus]

I saw in a notes section (Strib) that Molitor said barring some significant change his starters are Santana, Hughes, Gibson and Santiago. Berrios, May, et al will battle for the 5th spot.

 

This shocked me that he would say something like this so early. How can he be so comfortable saying this after last year? In my book Santana is a lock and the rest can battle it out with no guarantees.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I couldn't find it in the Strib, but here is the Pioneer Press:

http://www.twincities.com/2017/03/04/minnesota-twins-miguel-sano-blasts-his-way-out-of-spring-swoon/

 

 

The top four spots in the rotation are pretty much set, Molitor suggested, unless something gets “fairly derailed.” Along with Santana and Hughes, Hector Santiago and Kyle Gibson appear highly likely to open the year in the rotation.

 

A little more detail from 1500 ESPN:

http://www.1500espn.com/twins-2/2017/03/molitor-leaning-toward-veteran-rotation-5th-spot-still-grabs/

 

 

 

On Saturday, manager Paul Molitor gave the strong suggestion that the first four spots in the starting rotation are decided, and that those would go to Ervin Santana, Kyle Gibson, Phil Hughes, and Hector Santiago.

“I would say something would have to get fairly derailed,” Molitor said. “I don’t expect that to happen. We still want to see Hughes get extended still a little further, and [his] workload starts to build up as his pitch count goes up and all those kinds of things.”

 

[Mike Sixel]

Well, let's hope Hughes gets his velocity back then, or it will be a long 2-3 months...

[Brandon Warne]

This was set in stone last October, really. No surprises. 

[gunnarthor]

I'm a bit surprised that they are set on Hughes but the other three were pretty clear.  I think May gets the fifth spot (FO over rules Molitor on that) and Berrios starts the year at AAA along with Duffey.  

[KirbyDome89]

Completely disagree.

 

Can't say I'm shocked given the preferences he has shown the past few years as manager. New manager, same Twins; some things never change....

[Otto von Ballpark]

Hopefully this also means that Vogelsong is not being considered for the rotation.  Although even in long relief, he would be redundant with Haley and he would probably get first crack at any rotation openings over, say, Berrios or Duffey.

[Vanimal46]

Paul Molitor on April 10th, 2017 after giving Hughes an automatic spot in the rotation.... 

 

http://community.runnersworld.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/51539148896419342/filePointer/51539148896419363/fodoid/51539148896419356/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/ad-huge-mistake.jpg

 

 

[Vanimal46]

 

Well, let's hope Hughes gets his velocity back then, or it will be a long 2-3 months...

 

I'm having flashbacks to last season when it was "set" that Glen Perkins would be the closer. 

[alarp33]

 

I'm a bit surprised that they are set on Hughes but the other three were pretty clear.  I think May gets the fifth spot (FO over rules Molitor on that) and Berrios starts the year at AAA along with Duffey.  

 

There are $42 million reasons you shouldn't be surprised at Hughes being in the rotation.  

 

If it were my decision he'd be the one going to the bullpen, but its not my money... 

[Willihammer]

 

I'm having flashbacks to last season when it was "set" that Glen Perkins would be the closer. 

Or when your guy the Vanimal was penciled in as Opening Day starter.

[Vanimal46]

 

Or when your guy the Vanimal was penciled in as Opening Day starter.

 

Well, there's that. 

[gunnarthor]

 

There are $42 million reasons you shouldn't be surprised at Hughes being in the rotation.  

 

If it were my decision he'd be the one going to the bullpen, but its not my money... 

Yeah but he was put in the pen late last year.  I figured he'd have to show something to get back out.  (And maybe he has).  But I was hoping the team would wait.  That said, if he's struggling at the end of March, I'm not convinced his place in the rotation is set.

[Brandon Warne]

 

Completely disagree.

 

Can't say I'm shocked given the preferences he has shown the past few years as manager. New manager, same Twins; some things never change....

 

Huh? It's a mix of their best guys and Hughes, who they sort of have to run out there again based on his salary. 

 

Basically, it's not unfair to send Berrios back to Rochester. He hasn't earned/proven anything in MLB.

 

It would probably be unfair to May, but he can go to Rochester and lengthen out a bit more in the meantime. 

 

Who else is it unfair to? Duffey? He got obliterated last year. I have no issue with those four being secure. Is it a good rotation? Eh, not particularly. But is it four of their best/most prepared guys. I think so.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I saw in a notes section (Strib) that Molitor said barring some significant change his starters are Santana, Hughes, Gibson and Santiago. Berrios, May, et al will battle for the 5th spot.

This shocked me that he would say something like this so early. How can he be so comfortable saying this after last year? In my book Santana is a lock and the rest can battle it out with no guarantees.

 

That's been a given since the beginning of camp, assuming health. 

 

Here is Derek's story on it... 

 

http://www.1500espn.com/twins-2/2017/03/molitor-leaning-toward-veteran-rotation-5th-spot-still-grabs/ 

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Huh? It's a mix of their best guys and Hughes, who they sort of have to run out there again based on his salary. 

 

Based on his salary, sure... but also when he's been healthy, he's been a decent starting pitcher. I think we have to give a veteran the benefit of the doubt that some of the issues last year (and maybe going back further) were injury related. 

[Brandon Warne]

 

Based on his salary, sure... but also when he's been healthy, he's been a decent starting pitcher. I think we have to give a veteran the benefit of the doubt that some of the issues last year (and maybe going back further) were injury related. 

 

Oh for sure, there's that, too. 

[Willihammer]

What benefit is there to setting the rotation so early in ST?

[Seth Stohs]

 

What benefit is there to setting the rotation so early in ST?

 

So guys can focus on doing what they need to do to be ready April 5th (or whenever Opening Day is). 

[Guest]

A team that consistently has the worst or close to the worst rotation doesn't have open competition in spring training? Even if you land on the same people, it would seem reasonable to make them sweat and let the new guys show what they have. It's TSF time.

[Guest]

So guys can focus on doing what they need to do to be ready April 5th (or whenever Opening Day is).

 

Veterans should focus on it regardless.

[Mike Sixel]

 

So guys can focus on doing what they need to do to be ready April 5th (or whenever Opening Day is). 

 

What would change for any of them if it was set in 2 weeks? I literally have no idea, hence my question.

[Vanimal46]

 

So guys can focus on doing what they need to do to be ready April 5th (or whenever Opening Day is). 

 

No wonder why May had a bad year.... He didn't have time to focus! /sarcasm

[Vanimal46]

 

A team that consistently has the worst or close to the worst rotation doesn't have open competition in spring training? Even if you land on the same people, it would seem reasonable to make them sweat and let the new guys show what they have. It's TSF time.

 

Mind.boggling. 

[KirbyDome89]

 

Huh? It's a mix of their best guys and Hughes, who they sort of have to run out there again based on his salary. 

 

Basically, it's not unfair to send Berrios back to Rochester. He hasn't earned/proven anything in MLB.

 

It would probably be unfair to May, but he can go to Rochester and lengthen out a bit more in the meantime. 

 

Who else is it unfair to? Duffey? He got obliterated last year. I have no issue with those four being secure. Is it a good rotation? Eh, not particularly. But is it four of their best/most prepared guys. I think so.

I'm not sure what is confusing about the post. 

 

"Its a mix of our best guys and Hughes,"  That little "and Hughes," at the end is enough to give pause. When he's already penciled in after 2 spring training starts and hasn't shown he has major league stuff that seems a bit premature. 

 

I said nothing about it being unfair to Duffey but since you brought up getting obliterated last season I think Gibson and Santiago fit nicely into that category....

 

The point is that a rotation as bad as the Twins shouldn't already have 4/5 of it "locked in," this early in the spring, but like I said, given the way they operate it isn't at all surprising. 

 

FWIW the argument that players have to see the field based on salary is past its prime. That money is a sunk cost the second they ink the contract. The goal is to put the best players on the field, not the highest paid ones. 

[Bark's Lounge]

There is nothing to see here. Unless you expected Gonsalves, Jay, Stewart or someone else to skyrocket and destroy the opposition in spring training. It's not very realistic.

 

Edit: I have not given up on Duffy.

[nicksaviking]

 

Based on his salary, sure... but also when he's been healthy, he's been a decent starting pitcher. I think we have to give a veteran the benefit of the doubt that some of the issues last year (and maybe going back further) were injury related. 

 

Hughes has been a decent pitcher only two of his last six seasons.

 

I can't speak for others here that are disappointed, but handing guys a job just because they are a veteran was something I was desperately hoping the new front office would change. I don't think vets should get the benefit of the doubt, we've all seen how players age, if anything they should be held up to a more skeptical evaluation.

 

I don't think teams like the Dodgers or Cubs would just hand the job to a Phil Hughes should they find themselves in the same situation. Those teams have few qualms about turning a veteran starter into a reliever instead of trying to squeeze every last start out of the guy, even when the writing is on the wall.

[Broker]

Aside from those guys they don't really have anybody else.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Mind.boggling. 

 

that will be 25 cents, sir. Plus a 1000 dollar fine for not asking permission. 

 

[beckmt]

 

I'm not sure what is confusing about the post. 

 

"Its a mix of our best guys and Hughes,"  That little "and Hughes," at the end is enough to give pause. When he's already penciled in after 2 spring training starts and hasn't shown he has major league stuff that seems a bit premature. 

 

I said nothing about it being unfair to Duffey but since you brought up getting obliterated last season I think Gibson and Santiago fit nicely into that category....

 

The point is that a rotation as bad as the Twins shouldn't already have 4/5 of it "locked in," this early in the spring, but like I said, given the way they operate it isn't at all surprising. 

 

FWIW the argument that players have to see the field based on salary is past its prime. That money is a sunk cost the second they ink the contract. The goal is to put the best players on the field, not the highest paid ones. 

Santiago and Gibson could be cut with only 1/4 of their contract paid until about the last week of March.  Why are they set in stone, along with Hughes who is already a sunk cost.

You may have to spend money now to save money later when you have to make decisions without knowing if the young pitchers are going to make it or not.